Can anybody explain some of the notations in this piece of music for me?

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alievans

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July 12, 2014 - 12:27 pm

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Hi there,

I'm trying to get back into violin-playing after an 18-year, um, rest. I'm amazed at the resources available now. I've been stumped by some of the notations in some sheet music I've been looking at and am wondering if anybody can help.

Have a look at this link to a Paganini Caprice. Can anybody explain the numbers followed by a long line above the stave in bars 1 and 2 and below the stave in bars 8 to 11?

I thought the number followed by a long line indicated you held the indicated fingering until the line ended, but doing this for some of these would be physically impossible.

I notice the version of the same Caprice loaded on this website only indicates some suggested fingering and doesn't have these same markings.

Any guidance for this reborn newbie would be much appreciated - especially any links to sources that explain some of the more advanced notations.

uncledave

Smilax, Kentucky

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July 12, 2014 - 5:29 pm

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Alievans you and I are in the same boat except that it's 30 years for me. I wish us both good luck getting back in shape!

Fiddlerman

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July 12, 2014 - 5:52 pm

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alievans said
............Have a look at this link to a Paganini Caprice. Can anybody explain the numbers followed by a long line above the stave in bars 1 and 2 and below the stave in bars 8 to 11?..............

Sorry alievans, couldn't see the link.

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We're sorry. The page you are trying to access is restricted.

We can go to the right link but must get there on our own. Which caprice are you referring to?

Welcome to the forum. Look forward to hearing about your reunion with the fiddle.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

uncledave said
Alievans you and I are in the same boat except that it's 30 years for me. I wish us both good luck getting back in shape!

Thanks uncledave. Same to you. It's a long road to tread, I fear. I look at sheet music for things I used to play and wonder how on earth I did it!

Right now the vibrato is slow, the position changes clumsy and the bow wrist woefully weak. But you gotta start somewhere, right!

I'm intrigued to see how many websites there are devoted to teaching yourself. I think that's fabulous and it makes me feel pretty lucky I could have lessons as a child.

Fiddlerman

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July 13, 2014 - 1:37 pm

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Oh ya. This one. LOL
You just keep the same pattern but shift the 1st finger for each group. Basically you have the same hand position except that your spread gets slightly smaller as you get higher up on the fingerboard.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

alievans

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July 14, 2014 - 11:15 am

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Thanks - that makes sense.

Are they really suggesting that the the fingering for the first note should be fourth finger (second position on the G string), then skipping back into first position for the second note G? Crazy fingering. I like the version you've got here better - I'd have half a chance of playing that.

I wouldn't see any need to move out of first position for that whole first bar, but then I'm a total novice!

Fiddlerman

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July 14, 2014 - 9:28 pm

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I was just referring to the 8th full measure where you see the long lines after the 1's.

Yes to the fourth finger but no to shifting. First position and stretch your fourth finger. Try setting the 3rd finger G# and first finger B then reaching, probably as far as you can at this point, to the E on the G string with your pinky. This Caprice is played so fast that you need to have each pattern in one position and only shifting usually on the beat. Even the eight beat like on full measure 5 and 6. It's not an easy Caprice but a lot of fun.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

alievans

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July 29, 2014 - 9:17 am

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Thanks so much again for this, it's very helpful. I'm still trying to wrangle some basic scales and arpeggios - I've upgraded from chicken scratch to warbling. I seriously need to work on my position transitions (once the blood blisters settle down!).

Which brings me to my next silly question. In your second position exercise what do the roman numerals underneath the stave indicate? I thought they were used to indicate preferred position...

Fiddlerman

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July 29, 2014 - 9:48 am

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alievans said
Which brings me to my next silly question. In your second position exercise what do the roman numerals underneath the stave indicate? I thought they were used to indicate preferred position...

The roman numerals indicate which string to play on. IV = G, III = D, II = A and I = E

I probably should have the explanation on the page itself. I have on other sheets.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."